Incarnation of Grace
Christ Has Come
In life the anticipation of an event often exceeds the reality we
experience when the event itself occurs. We wait, hope, and plan for
the coming event. When the time arrives, we are sometimes disap-
pointed because the actuality falls short of our expectation.
God's people had long looked for the coming Messiah. Prophets
spoke of His coming, and the longer they had to wait, the more
distorted was their concept of the Messiah's mission. No amount of
anticipation or planning adequately prepared God's people for the
reality of the event. The incarnation of God in human flesh far ex-
ceeded in significance anything for which most people had hoped.
The simple, yet profound, words of Matthew are inadequate to
express fully the meaning of Jesus' first advent. " 'The virgin will be
with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel'—
which means 'God with us' " (Matt. 1:23, NIV). "God with us." What
could this possibly mean?
To a people burdened with foreign oppression, it meant a mighty
king who would free them from the yoke of bondage. To those af-
flicted with disease, it pointed toward healing and health. To the
religious leaders, it meant a Messiah who would fulfill their political
ambitions.
How different, and yet how much more significant, the coming of
the Messiah proved to be! The King was born in a stable, and He later
stated, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). Those looking
for physical healing often found in Him relief from their burden of sin.
As the political expectations of the religious elite were dashed, they
found themselves plotting the destruction of the One who declared
Himself to be "God with us."
How different are we today? Are we still looking for a God who
will fulfill our expectations? Are we anticipating the blessings God
will bring without understanding the true nature of dedication to the
Jesus we claim to serve?
The promise of "God with us" is just as certain today as it was in
the days of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men. When
Jesus left this earth, He promised, "I will be with you always, to the
very end of the age" (Matt. 28:20, NIV).
How important for us to gain a clearer understanding of Jesus'
mission, to study the prophetic timetable of His coming, and to catch a
glimpse of the wonder that filled the lives of those who were present at
His first advent. Then we can come away from this quarter's study
with our faith renewed and filled with awe at the lovingkindness and
compassion of God, who left heaven to live with humans and to
redeem us from the penalty and burden of sin.
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